1,120 illegal DVDs seized in raid in east Orange

A local business owner accused of reproducing and selling DVD copies of current box-office movies is facing felony charges.

This morning, investigators with the Orange County Sheriff's Office Economic Crimes Unit executed a search warrant at the C & M Gallery near S. Goldenrod Road and Sun Vista Way. Detectives recovered 1,120 DVDs, two computer towers, a flat-screen television and several movie menus.

The illegal store had been open for several months in a small shopping plaza before investigators were made aware of the alleged criminal activity, deputies said.

"He thought he could beat the law by giving the DVD away for free and selling the jewel case for $5," said Lt. Paul Hopkins. "It's still against the law for him to reproduce them and sell them."

The business owner was not present when the search warrant was executed. His name was not released because the investigation is ongoing, Hopkins said.

He could face a penalty of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine if convicted of a state law that prohibits unauthorized copying of DVDs or CDs.

Detectives began looking into the business earlier this month when a private investigator with the Motion Picture Association of America contacted the Sheriff's Office.

Employees at nearby businesses said they didn't know the owner by name, but had seen him recently. They also noticed he posted a large sign on the front door stating movies there were free and were for promotional use only. Any monetary transactions were donations, the sign stated.

However, the law said it's still illegal to copy the movies, regardless of whether they are being sold for profit or donation.

Detectives said movies currently in the movie theater, such as Cars 2 and Hangover 2, were being reproduced inside the small business.

"We are not looking at the buyer, but looking at the person who is mass producing them," Hopkins said. "This affects our community."